Picture this: a weathered rowboat bobs silently on a misty lake in Red Dead Redemption 2’s vast wilderness, waiting for you to claim it amid the chaos of outlaws and wildlife. Where exactly does it hide?
There are two main ways to solve the problem of not owning a boat. The first method is to buy an upgrade to the gang camp, which adds a boat. You can’t decide to finance such an upgrade in chapter 2, because the Horseshoe Overlook camp site doesn’t have water on either side. You can buy the upgrade in chapter 3 or in chapter 4 – it is on the last page of the register (Camp Boat) and unfortunately costs as much as 450 dollars.
After buying the upgrade, go along the shore near the gang camp, and you will find a boat (an example is shown in the picture).
The second method is to find an unused boat in the game world. In this case you can visit e.g. Houseboat located on the wetlands of Bluewater Marsh north-west of Saint Denis. This location is shown in the picture above.
Best spots to find rowboats in RDR2 marshes
Rowboats in Red Dead Redemption 2’s marsh areas, particularly Bluewater Marsh and the Bayou Nwa swamps, spawn reliably at specific docks and shores for fishing or exploration.
Bluewater Marsh Spots
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Houseboat northwest of Saint Denis: A rowboat is hidden directly behind the stationary houseboat-approach from the water’s edge.
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Lagras village docks: Canoes and skiffs appear near the bait shop or along the Kamassa River shoreline, ideal for legendary gar fishing.
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Near Shady Belle (south edge): Check the swamps south of Caliga Hall for rowboats tied up at small piers.
Bayou Nwa Tips
Rowboats also spawn near Saint Denis’ industrial docks or small islands west of the penitentiary; patrol these for consistent spawns, especially early morning. Save and reload nearby if none appear, as dynamic spawns favor these humid, NPC-light zones.
Check rowboat spawn times and persistence in marsh areas
Rowboats in Red Dead Redemption 2’s marsh areas like Bluewater Marsh and Bayou Nwa spawn dynamically rather than on fixed schedules, influenced by game time, player proximity, and region activity.
Spawn Mechanics
Boats typically appear after fast travel, sleeping, or reloading a save nearby, with higher chances during early morning or evening in-game hours when NPC traffic is low. They persist until manually sunk, abandoned far away, or despawned by map transitions, but often respawn in the same spots after 10-20 in-game minutes or a save reload.
Persistence Tips
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Park rowboats at docks or shores to maintain them longer; leaving them in open water risks AI theft or sinking.
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In Lagras or Shady Belle swamps, boats reliably reappear within 5-10 minutes of checking if none are present initially.
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Avoid overloading or crashing into boundaries, as this forces instant despawn without recovery.
